Once upon a time, the Pentagon in the United States was hailed as the world's largest building. But now, the Surat Diamond Bourse has claimed this title. About two and a half months ago, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this architectural feat. However, it now bears the eerie label of a 'haunted building' by the local populace.
The sprawling complex boasts 4200 offices, yet due to unforeseen reasons, most remain unoccupied. This unusual emptiness has sparked the eerie rumors among the residents. The management of Surat Diamond Bourse emphatically denies these claims, assuring that efforts are underway to breathe life into this dormant giant.
Located in the Khajod area of Surat, within the ambitious Dream City Project, the Diamond Bourse building stands tall. Nine towers await their destiny with offices eagerly pre-booked by diamond merchants from both Surat and Mumbai. These spaces now await their moment to shine within the construction initiated with grand aspirations.
All towers leave the 13th floor vacant
A staggering investment of approximately 4000 crores brought the world's largest building, the Surat Diamond Bourse, into existence. Even traditional Indian architecture prudence was considered, with the 13th floor deliberately left vacant across all towers due to its unfortunate connotations.
Despite these painstaking efforts, the diamond merchants who made advance bookings are yet to begin their operations. The mammoth complex lies still, with merely four to five offices operational. When the building was completed, the chairman of its management was Vallabhbhai Lakhani, a known figure in the diamond trade with business interests in Mumbai.
After witnessing the lack of success here, Lakhani decided to close his Surat operations, lock his office doors at the bourse, and shift his focus back to Mumbai. Subsequently, he also resigned from his position as the chairman of the Surat Diamond Bourse.
Laljibhai Patel becomes the new head of the committee
The new committee of Surat Diamond Bourse welcomes Laljibhai Patel as its chairman. Known for his business 'Dharmanandan Diamonds,' Patel is determined to turn the tide for the seemingly 'haunted' building. He has engaged with diamond merchants from Mahidharpura and Mini Bazaar Diamond Market in Surat, and meetings are planned in Mumbai to initiate a full-scale start-up of the bourse operations.
He clarified that merely starting offices isn't enough; a comprehensive system must also be in place for buying and selling diamonds, along with a focus on security arrangements.
Addressing the ghostly rumours, Patel expressed confidence that by Diwali, at least a thousand offices would commence operations, propelling the diamond trade from this landmark building. He cites the example of Mumbai's Bharat Diamond Bourse, which took 15 years to start, reassuring that Surat's Diamond Bourse will not take as long and will soon be bustling with activity.
